Forget The Fish Oils, See Your Dentist

April 9, 2009 by JD
Filed under Health, Information

We load up on supplements like fish oil and red yeast rice. We religiously eat salmon, snack on nuts, and do our time on the treadmill. All in the interest of staving off cardiovascular issues. Strokes. Heart attacks. Rising bad cholesterol levels. We pop pills, stay away from fried foods, and dig into fitness programs to keep those things away.

Maybe it all starts with a trip to the dentist. Studies are proving that gum deterioration contributes to the onset of heart disease.

Researchers at the Boston VA Outpatient Clinic are in the midst of a ten year study observing the high correlation of heart attack incidents in individuals suffering from gum disease. It’s not the bleeding gums that causes heart issues. But the bacterium P. gingivalis (better known as gingivitis) has been traced to diseased cartoid arteries of heart attack and stroke patients.

Bottom line, bacteria that tend to flourish in the mouth may contribute to heart related disorders including heart attacks and strokes.

So, that little stubborn piece of bacon stuck in your teeth? It may do more damage to your mouth than to your stomach.

Floss. Brush. And floss again.